Sulphur burner



Patented May 17, A19227.

1 UNITE vSTATES PATENT oFFicE.

HENRY F. MERRIAM, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSI-GNOR TO GENERAL CHEMI- CAL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SULPHU-R BURNER.

Application led December 3, 1923. Serial No. 678,098.

ing of brimstone were operated under a slight minus pressure, the air for the combustion being drawninto the furnace by appropriate means located at some point further along in the process. Burners of that type are not adapted to work under pressure. One of the features of the new furnace is that it is adapted to be operated under pressure, a blower forcing air into .the burner against pressure caused by resistance of subsequent apparatus. In other words, the operation is conducted under positive pressure. yThis concept-ion assures a supply of clean air, dried or moist, which is under control and can beforced into the furnace in regulated quantities to cause burning land volatilization of the sulphur, Suiicient air-may thus be forced intoI the combustion chamber to complete the oxidav tion of the volatilized sulphur and to bring about any desired dilution of the SO2 gas, so as to prepare it for use for a variety of manufacturing purposes, such as paper pulp making, sulphuric acid manufacture or other purpose for which SO2 gas is required. An apparatus operating under positive pressure will require to be made gas-tight, and suitable provision to that end* isv made in the apparatus of this application.

It will be observed that among the results of the. invention is, the provision ofapparatus of improved efficiency and veconomy and by means of which larger quantities of sulphur than heretofore can bey Volatilized, completely burned and diluted as desired, all

in shorter time than in the apparatus herey tofore used. Incidentally the improvements also include means by which the difliculties caused by burning under pressure, such as leakage and over-heating of the bearings, `are-eliminated The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention as embodied Ain a preferred form thereof, andfin this drawing Fig. .1 is a.`-

vertical longitudinal section, Fig. 2 a vertical cross-section through line A--A of Fig.

1 and Fig. 3 an end view of the burner of The burner shown inthe drawing conslsts of a suitable supported cylindrical, horizontally disposed, container A in which a cylindrical drum B is mounted on a rotatable central shaft 12, whose ends protrude through the end walls 13 and 14 of the housing. rl`he drum B consists, in the embodiment shown, of two nested concentric cylinders 11 and 11a which are open at the ends. These cylinders preferably have holes 15 which provide communication between the concentric spaces of the. drum and the casing for better circulation of the gases. The number of location of these apertures 15 as well as the number of cylinders 11 may obviously be varied according to requirements.

Oncne side of the cylindrical casing, preferably nearl the center of the cylindrical casing, there is a storage and feed-hopper 16 through which thesulphur or brimstone is fed in such a manner that it enters the casing A near its bottomalready in liquid or semi-liquid condition (See F ig. 2). A depending portion l0n of they cylindrical casing provides a partition separatingthe tangent-ial inlet 10b from the interior of the burner. The lower portion of the hopper 16 is formed by an eccentric extension 16a of the Abottom of the casing and by the depending partition 10, the latter extending .downwardly toa point below the normal level o-f the liquid sulphur in the casing, thereby providing a liquid seal. This liquid seal feeding device forms a permanent barrler against the escape of gas from the burner to and through the feeding hopper 16. As the sulphur becomes ,liquid in the lower Vpart of the feed-hopper, which is exposed no sulphur can be-thrown out of the hopper and no gas can escape. The meltingof the sulphur in the hopper also has the effect of eliminating moisture and drying the sul phur before it enters the burner. For controlling the level of the sulphur standing in e L i the burner inspection cocks 17 are arranged at the rear end wall of the casing. As the 1drawing shows, the surface of the sulphurbath is kept at such a heightthat both of the cylindrical.E sections 11 and 11 of the drum B dip into the liquid sulphur while rotating', so that they carry with them a film of liquid sulphur to be' exposed to the air under ressure. At 16b (Fig. 2) there is indicated) a cleaning door just above the -level of the moltenl sulphur in the feeding hopper 16.

For blowincr the air into the burner, al

blower 5 suppliespressure air (which may "be preliminarily dried) through a pipe connection 18 communicating with the upper depending end of the partition wall and the head of-the casing lnear the level of the sulphur-bath, so that this currentv of air strikes the surface 'of the sulphur-bath immediately. l

Theholes 15 inthe cylinders of the drum provide better circulation of the gases through the entire a paratus.

After having circulated through the whole length-'of the. burner, the gasproduced in the burner is carried 'oil throughan airtight pi e 2 8 into the combustionchamber Cpw ere the gasvand vapor are mixed with an additional Aquantity of air under pressure from the line 29.A l To prevent loss of heat by radiation the ,casing'of the burner A is provided with an f insulating covering 24.

^ To prevent gas under Ipressure from leaking thro'u h the endhbearing of the shaft,

' the end'o the latterandthe 'bearing at thev exit"endl burnl are v"cverel tightly by ed in the rear' wall 14jnear the bottom of 'the casing to permit the drainingofv residual sulphur when, after extended operatioman-accumulation of the 14A to provide for access to Vthe' interior of.

- the impurities renderfsuch draining necessary.`

A manhole 27 'is also provided in the wall zp'paratus whenever this may be require The aforementioned combustion chamber. C is connected with the burner A by the. pipe -28` vwhich lis arc-shaped and opens into, a dome C. of the 'combustion chamber C which is preferabl set u on legs so that v.its bottom is air-coo an -protected from'4 l Lacasse over-heating." A branch 29 of the air ipe protrudes through the side wall of this ome and forms in the center of the latter an elbow, the vertical discharging end of which rounding its baffle plate portion 30, a plural-1 l ity of openings 3l through which the burning gases are distributed and directed into a second compartment 32 of the combustion-A chamber in which .the distributed currentsl converge towards a central opening 33 in a;

second partition arch through which the com- 'l bustion gases enter into a lower compartment 34 from `which the gas or mixture of gas and air is ta pcd for its use through 35.

Instead of uti izing the pressure air from 18 to cool the stuiling box 22 at the'front end t of the furnace, cooling at this point may be elected by means of water. Water coolingv may also. be emplo ed in connection with the bearing covere by the cap 25. Theexit pipe 28 from the burner A rising ver- 1 tically prevents physical impurities' from beingy carried Vover into the combustion chamber C. At the` lower end of this pipe there is a. vent 6 for starting combustlon in .the burner A. The chamber underthe burner A may also be developed as a lire box to heat up the burner from the outside when necessary. The use of the rotating cylinders 11 and 11* to pick up and of` less weight, thereby simplifyingfconf struction and reducing cost andv giving a larger capacity to the burner, due Lto the a film of molten sulphur and to expose 1t to the air for yburning also permits making the burner shorterthat changes maybe made in the construction ofthe rotary burner without ldeparting from the spirit and-scope of the invention.

Althogh 'the a Vparatus is especially Y effective when 4use mgpositivethat he'A- nove features of construction in-l in ay system employressure, it will be apparent volved in" the sulphur burner and the'hopr lfeed and other details may also be used and t claims of- .t patent which are directed to the-details o construction' are m a stem which is oksited under suction .which pass throughl the suction producing instrumentalities are hotter and generally contain traces of sulphuric acid.

Having described the operation of the apparatus in connection with the detailed description thereof, I consider that it will not be necessary7 to make an extended statement of the operation.

I claim:

1, A'sulphur burner (brimstone burner) comprising a casing forming a burner chamber' and having an inlet for feeding sulphur to said chamber and anotherinlet for admitting compressed air to said chamber,and means for forming a permanent barrier to the passage of gases or such air from the bulrner chamber through the sulphur feed in et.

2. A sulphur burner (brimstone burner)v comprising a casing forming a burner chamber and having an inlet for feeding sulphur to saidchamber and another inlet for admitting compressed air to said chamber, and means for forming within said chamber a liquid seal barring the passage of gases or such air from the burner chamber through the sulphur feed inlet.

3. A sulphur burner (brimstone burner) comprising a casing forming a burner chamber and having an inlet for feeding sulphur to said chamber, another inlet for admitting air under pressurev to said chamber, and a partition depending into ,said chamber adjacent to the sulphur inlet to a point below the normal level of the molten sulphur in said chamber. wherebyjsuch molten sulphur will -form a liquid sealto prevent the passage'of gases or air out of said chamber through the sulphur inlet.

haar

4. A sulphurY burner (brimstone burner) comprisingsa casing forming a burner chamber and having an inlet for feeding sulphur to said chamber, and means for forming a permanent barrier to the passage of gases or air from the burner chamber the sulphur feed inlet. sulphur burner (brimstone burner) comprising a casing formingaburner chamber and having an inlet for feeding sulphur within said chamber 'a liquid seal barring the passage of gases or air'from such chamber through the sulphur feed inlet.

6. In a sulphur burner (brimstone burner of the character described the combination with a burner-casing, of a cylindrical drum rotatably mounted in said casing open at In that case, forfto said chamber, and a partition both endsand consisting of a plurality of open cylinders concentrically arranged and adapted .to carry a plurality of films of liquid sulphur from the sulphur-bath, meansl for causing currents of air to pass over the sulphur films, ymeans for feeding sulphur into the burner without leakage and means for preventing leakage of sulphur vapors through the bearings of the drum-shaft.

7. A sulphur burner (brimstone burner) comprising in combination, a horizontally disposed cylindrical burner-casing, a` hopper for feedingsulphur `into the casing, ythe bottom of said hopper being formed by a part of the cylindrical casing, while an extended part of the bottom of the casing forms a side. wall of the hopper, an opening being formed -between said cylindricallycurved bottom and said side wall of the hopper adapted to feed the sulphur under the surface of the sulphur-bath and means for forcing air through the burner-casing 8. A sulphur burner (brimstone burner) comprising in combination, a horizontally disposed cylindrical burner-casing, a hopper 1 forfeeding sulphur into the casing, the bottoni of said hopper being formed by a part of the cylindrical casing, while an extended part of the bottom of the casing forms a side wall of the hopper, an openingbeinfr formed between said cylindrically-curved5 bottom and said side wall of the hopper adapted to feed the sulphurunderthe surface of the y sulphur-bath, means for causing air to pass through the burner-casing, a cylindrical drum comprising a plurality of cylinders mounted onY a rotatable shaft in the burnercasing, the means for causing air to vpass into the burner being adapted to direct the air against the surfaces of the drum.

9, A sulphur burnerv (brimstone burner) comprising in combination, a horizontallyv disposed cylindrical burner-casing, a hopper for feeding sulphur into the casing, the bottom of said hopper `being formed by a part of the cylindrical casing, while an extended part of the bottom of the casing forms a side wall of the hopper, an opening being formed between said cylindrically-curved bottom and .said side wall of the hopper adapted to feed the sulphur under the surface of the sulphur-bath, means for forcing air through the burner-casing, a cylindrical drum comprising a plurality' ofL cylinders mounted on a rotatable shaft in the burner-casing, means adaptedto force currents of air against the surfaces of the drum and means to coolfthe stuffing box of the shaft.

l0. A sulphur burner (brimstone burner) comprising-a casing forming a burner chamber and'having'an inlet for feeding sulphur depending into said chamber adjacent to the sulphur inlet to a point below t `normal level of the molten sulphur. in said chiunber, whereby lli) lli

such molten sulphur will form a liquid seal to prevent the passage of gases' or air out of said chamber through the sulphur inlet.

11. A sulphur burner brimstone burner) comprising a casing of su stantially circular cross section provided with a' substantially tangential inlet for the feeding of sulphur and a partition of circular curvature in the continuation of said inlet, said partition having its lower edge at a level below the normal level of the molten sulphur in said casing7 and a rotary drum within said casing and adjacent to said partition, said drum having its lower portion below the normal level of the -molten sulphur in said casing.

' 12. A sulphur burner (brimstone burner) comprising a. casing forming a burner chamber, a rotary drum located within said casing and having its lower portion below the normal level of the molten sulphur in said chamber, and a stationary partition located adjacent to one end of said drum and provided wlit-h inlets to admit air to the interior of the drum.`

13. A sulphur burner (brimstone burner) comprising a casing forming a burner chamber, a rotarydrum located within said casing and having its lower portion below the normal level of the molten sulphur in said chamber, and a stationary partition located adjacent to one end of said-drum and provided with inlets to admit air to the interior of the drum, said partition terminating adjacent to the end wall of the casing,at`a pointI slightly above the level of the molten sulphur, to direct air over the surface of such sulphur.

14. A sulphur burner (brimstone burner) comprising a casing forming a burner chamber, and a peripherally perforated rotaryy phur contained in said chamber during nor; y

mal operation.

15. .A sulphur burner (brimstonev burner) comprising a casing formlng a burner chamber Jfor molten sulphur, a combustion Achamber having an inlet for the gaseous mixture formed in the burner chamber, a conduit connecting the outlet of the burner chamber with the inlet of the .combustion chamber, an air-admissionpipe terminating Within said inlet and facing in the same direction, to act after the fashion of an injector, and a baille arranged within said combustion chamber an1d\ having a solid portion opposite 'said in et.

' 16. vIn combination with a sulphur burner (brimstone burner) adapted to burn sulphur under positive pressure, comprising a casing forming the burning chamber for molten sulphur provided with an outlet and a rotary drum in said casing, a combustion chamber which is provided with an inlet, a conduit connecting the inlet of the combustion chamber with the outlet of the burner and directed downwardly into said combustion chamber, means for blowing air into the vcombustion chamber and for completing combustion under positive pressure, comprising an air admission pipe terminating within said 'inlet and directed downwardly, said combustion chamber being equipped with means for reverberating and mixing the gas and air currents.

In testimony whereof I have lhereunto set my hand.

- HENRY F. MERRIAM. 

